KHRT ND NEWS - FRIDAY - 11/17/17 - NOON EDITION

The family of a New Town woman who has been missing nearly a month is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to her discovery....

NEW TOWN, N.D. (AP) - The family of a New Town woman who has been missing nearly a month is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to her discovery. Thirty-two-year-old Olivia Lone Bear was last seen the evening of Oct. 24 leaving a New Town restaurant. Ground, air and water searches for the mother of five children have been ongoing since. Police say no foul play is suspected in Lone Bear's disappearance. The Bismarck Tribune reports that Three Affiliated Tribes Chairman Mark Fox is talking to federal, state and tribal leaders about getting more support for the search.

ROLLA, N.D. (AP) - Leaders in a northern North Dakota city are offering dozens of reasons for firing their police chief, including uncompleted paperwork, personal use of police vehicles and unapproved police purchases.

The Bismarck Tribune reports that Rolla's former police chief Joe Boehm was abruptly fired last month with little explanation during a City Council meeting. A city attorney sent Boehm a letter on Nov. 6 outlining 47 incidents and concerns in his file that contributed to the dismissal, including misconduct and inefficiency.

The former police chief believes he was fired because he announced plans to investigate a close acquaintance to Mayor Scott Mitchell. Mitchell says Boehm's claim is inaccurate.

Boehm is at least the fifth leader of a law enforcement agency in North Dakota to have resigned or been fired amid controversy this year.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - The North Dakota Supreme Court has rejected an appeal for a man serving life without parole for killing a West Fargo woman when he was 16 years old.

Barry Garcia is the only current state inmate who was sentenced to life without parole for a crime committed as a juvenile. He was convicted of murder and aggravated assault in the 1995 shooting death of Cherryl Tendeland. Garcia argued the sentence was unconstitutional and he should be considered for a reduced term. His lawyers cited a new state law that bans sentences for juveniles without the possibility of parole.

Justices say the law was passed after Garcia filed his appeal and could not be considered. They say it's up to a judge to decide whether the law applies retroactively to Garcia.

ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) - Sanford Health has pledged $5 million to Northern State University for a regional science education center. The gift includes a $500,000 scholarship endowment for students and a $200,000 faculty development endowment. The Aberdeen university says the gift should help advance education and research opportunities for the entire region. Construction on the science center is to begin next spring. The $25 million cost is being funded by private donations.

Sanford Health is based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Fargo, North Dakota. It bills itself as one of the largest health systems in the nation, with 45 hospitals and nearly 300 clinics in nine states and four countries.